I started a lot of figs this winter. Some are 12" and some have not pushed buds yet. I will be up-potting this summer, as the plants need it. When would you not want to up-pot? I will be moving from 1gal to 3 gal pots. They will stay in a hoop house all winter. They will freeze solid but they will be protected from the wind. Is it better to up pot then to leave in 1 gal pots all winter? I ask because I want them to be pot full of roots before up- potting and for some of them it may be late fall before that happens. Z6 NJ

During the winter I keep my potted fig trees in my barn at 40 degrees. I'm not sure they would make it after a winter of being frozen solid. Also, one year old cuttings are much more delicate than a mature tree.

If they do in fact freeze solid, I expect their chance of survival will be slim.  If they experience a bit of freezing temperatures here and their, but the majority of the root mass does not freeze, then even if the tops die back they might survive.  Although, like Scot says, new cuttings are more delicate.  If you don't have a garage, and you really care about your fig trees, then rent a small storage space for $50/month to see them through the heart of the winter.  They will only need watering once or twice, most likely, if they are kept at 40 degrees.  

As far as potting up, I don't see any disadvantage of up-potting at any time, even the end of the growing season.  Usually I up-pot before they get totally root bound, and the roots start circling, so I just plop them into a larger pot, without disturbing the roots too much.  In my opinion, the only time you need to take care when up-potting is if you are going to trim the roots or otherwise disturb them.

i don't think it really matters when you up pot. meaning you are just moving a plant from smaller pot to larger pot in same soil mix.

repotting is something different. repot meaning more or less bare rooting, and changing soil. in 2011, i repot all my trees into 10 gal in late june. i lost 1 month of growth on all my trees. the temp was in high 90, and i kept them under shade for over a month misting and watering very other day.

i up pot my 3 gal White Greek few weeks ago. same soil, but i ran knife through the roots circling around the outside and moved it into 10 gal with additional same soil mix. kept under shade with partial sun for 2 weeks. it's doing fine in full sun now. the temp was only in high 70 to mid 80.

Most would say spirng is best to pot up, but I have potted in Septmber and october with no problems

I will plan on adding small heaters set at 35 degrees. Thanks for the help.

Here the bigger pots fair better coming out of dormancy from garage more so than the smaller pots weather the pots are filled with roots or not.

That's right, the larger pots provide more thermal mass which should mean less temperature fluctuations. 

About a month ago I bare-rooted a Macool from a 1 gallon pot and up potted into new media.  The next morning it looked ok so I set it along the shady side of the house and went to work.  We had a warmer than expected day and it was really drooping when I got home.  I've been giving it TLC since then. It is just now looking like it might start growing again.  Last night I did the same with a MvsB from a 1 gallon pot except this time I will leave it in the air conditioned house next to a south facing window for a few days before slowly transitioning to the outdoors and direct sun.  It seems to be doing fine 24 hours later.  So if you bare-root prior to up-potting in the summer you need to eliminate as many other stresses as possible.

in hot weather, repotting puts on lot of stress. might need to keep in the shade for month or so with lot of misting and watering. or, you can try cutting off the leaves and leaving only few on. 

my Black Madeira and Col de Dame Blanche which i repotted couple of weeks ago are still thinking about moving along. they are in full sun and leaves are fine, but the buds are not swelling. lost one bud on Black Madeira the other day.